


Impressions

by fangirl_squee



Series: homies help homies, always [18]
Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-28
Updated: 2013-05-12
Packaged: 2017-12-09 19:16:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/777057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirl_squee/pseuds/fangirl_squee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marius does impressions (they're actually pretty good).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Set after 'Meetings', so this one is a little angsty (the next one will be happy, I promise!).
> 
> The song that Grantaire misquotes is 'The Best Imitation of Myself' by Ben Folds Five.

 

The dorm rooms are being re-painted over the weekend, so Jehan and Courfeyrac are staying over at their place. This naturally leads to Jehan suggesting a slumber party week, which is really another way of saying ‘drink and hang out in our pyjamas all weekend’.

 

They’re sitting around the kitchen table, glasses and bottles scattered lazily around, and Marius can see the sun setting over the city through the window. The radio is playing in the background, and even though there’s about eight things he should really be working on, Marius feels very peaceful.

 

“I do the very best impression of myself,” sings Grantaire, “actually, that’s not true, Marius does a better impression of me.”

 

Courfeyrac laughs, leaning around Jehan, who’s sitting in his lap, to look at Marius. “Really? Let’s see it!”

 

“No, it’s not that great,” says Marius, “really, you guys don’t want to see it.”

 

“I do!” says Jehan brightly.

 

“And me!” says Courfeyrac.

 

Grantaire grins. “Come on, Marius.”

 

“All right,” Marius sighs.

 

He puts down his drink. Then, leaning forward, he dips his hand into the water jug in the middle of the table and runs the hand through his hair, making it stick out wildly and fall onto his forehead. He grabs the pen off Grantaire’s sketchpad and rubs the ink onto his damp hand, and then rubs his hand along one cheekbone, an inky imitation of the paint. Then he stands, takes a breath, and recites the argument Grantaire had given to Enjolras during their last meeting.

 

Marius has always had a better memory for things he’s heard rather than read, so he’s pretty sure he manages to get it almost verbatim. As he reaches the end he pushes his hair off his forehead dramatically, before slouching back down into his seat.

 

There’s a moment of stunned silence, then Courfeyrac and Jehan break into applause. Grantaire woof whistles. Marius bows, still seated.

 

“That was impressive,” says Jehan, “can you do anyone else?”

 

“He can do everyone else,” says Grantaire quickly, “you should see his impression of Enjolras.”

 

“That’s not an impression,” says Marius, “it’s a terrible, terrible parody at best.”

 

“Then I’ll just have to do my impression of your impression.” Grantaire drains the last of his beer, then stands. “Tell me if I get anywhere close to it.”

 

Grantaire smooths his own hair down roughly, then jumps up on the chair. The impression he does is not particularly flattering, and his own cynicism leaks through in some places. His mannerisms, however, are spot on, every raised fist and sweeping gesture an exact copy.

 

Courfeyrac, Jehan, and Marius applaud after he sits back down.

 

“I must thank Marius, who really should show you his own impression of Enjolras one day, seriously, it’s fantastic, and of course, Enjolras, my muse,” says Grantaire. He tilts backward in his chair to pull another beer out of the fridge.

 

Jehan laughs. “I don’t know if Enjolras would find being your muse for that particularly flattering.”

 

They laugh, and Grantaire sketches caricatures of Enjolras for them all while Marius does impressions of his professors. Jehan laughs so hard he fall off his chair. Courfeyrac gallantly carries him to the couch to “check his wounds”. Marius, having walked in on them checking each other’s wounds before, decides to let them have some privacy.

 

Grantaire flips back through the pages of his sketchpad, frowning. Marius tilts his chair to look over Grantaire’s shoulder.

 

On one side, practise sketches – hands, the curve of a jaw, the strong line of a shoulder. On the other side is a full colour sketch, which is unusual for Grantaire’s sketchpad work. It’s Enjolras, fist raised high above his head, his hair a shining cloud, his eyes glaring out from the page.

 

“My muse,” says Grantaire, a bitter edge to his tone.

 

Marius leans his head on Grantaire’s shoulder. “You’re a good impressionist, but a better artist. You should show him, one day.”

 

Grantaire tilts his head, so it rests on Marius’. “Maybe. But I don’t know why he’d ever agree to see something I did.”

 

Marius sighs a little. “He will. One day, he will.”

 

 

(Later, Combeferre will ask for assistance with the rally, and Marius will think of Grantaire’s sketch, and he will suggest they ask Grantaire to do the poster work.

 

Enjolras might not see that particular sketch, but he does see the poster design it becomes.)


	2. Marius' Impression of Enjolras

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anon asked for Marius' impression of Enjolras, which Enjolras' reaction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original post here, along with anon's question.
> 
> http://fangirl-squee.tumblr.com/post/50297083329/grantaire-marius-brotp-ficlet

 

Since Marius’ outburst during a meeting, Enjolras no longer questions Grantaire as to why he attends their meetings.

 

Grantaire’s reasons for attending Les Amis meetings have never been a mystery for Marius. It could just be because he spends so much time with Grantaire that he’s come to know his body language, those small movements that speak volumes where you’re able to translate them. The way Grantaire’s head tilts towards Enjolras whenever they’re in the same room, the way his eyes sharpen and focus whenever Enjolras starts to speak, the way Grantaire hands will mimic Enjolras’ movements as argues with him.

 

Being so focused on one person also means you have a better memory of what they say to and about you, and unfortunately not everything is positive. Marius sits with Grantaire in-between classes, hoping that the bright sunshine can help Grantaire’s mood.

 

It’s still early so they’ve s topped on their way there, near the rarely-used stairwell that leads to the back entrance of Marius’ lecture hall. They’re sitting on a low stone wall to runs parallel to the rose bushes . Marius drums his feet on the wall, and Grantaire stares into the clear blue sky.

 

“I don’t think he meant it like that,” says Marius suddenly, continuing the conversation they’d had over breakfast.

 

Grantaire sighs a little. “You heard him Marius, there’s no place for revelry in the revolution. I’m pretty sure revelry includes dating.”

 

“He didn’t say it like that, he said,” and Marius seizes in on a chance to make Grantaire laugh, jumping up on the wall and gesturing wildly with one arm, “he said Gran _taire_ , will you put that _away_ , there is no place for alcohol and art in _the revolution_.”

 

It’s overly exaggerated and not really his best impression at all, but it has the desired effect immediately; Grantaire laughs, grinning up at Marius.

 

Marius grins back, and then pushes the overly-serious expression back on his face. He glares at one of the rose bushes and says, voice shocked, “there is no time for such _frivolities_! We must all be celibate to do the people’s work! Romantic notions cloud judgement and impair freedom!”

 

Grantaire grins up at him. “And what of after the revolution?”

 

Marius can’t keep the serious expression on his face now, and he grins back at Grantaire. “It will be the end of tyranny, the end of natural disasters, the end of poverty! It will be _glorious_ and _free_!”

 

“I had no idea you were filled with such fervour Marius,” comes a familiar voice behind them, and Marius almost falls into the bushes.

_Oh shit_ , thinks Marius.

 

He lowers his arms and turns around sheepishly. It’s Enjolras, of course. Combeferre is standing behind him, looking a great deal more amused than Enjolras does.

 

“Um,” says Marius, and his face starts to feel hot.

 

“Marius was just explaining what I missed during the last meeting,” says Grantaire.

 

Enjolras arches an eyebrow. “Really.”

 

“Yep! Now, we’d love to stay but we really have to be getting to class, don’t we Marius?” Marius manages to nod, and Grantaire pulls him up the stairs by his sleeve, waving and Enjolras and Combeferre over his shoulder as he does so. Grantaire’s shoulders shake with suppressed laughter all the way up the stairs.

 

“Oh my _god_ ,” says Marius, once they’ve closed the stairwell door.

 

Grantaire doesn’t stop laughing for a full minute, so Marius figures a little embarrassment is a small price to pay.

 

 

(Although Marius always double checks his surrounding when he does impressions in the future.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> feedback is loved: fangirl-squee.tumblr.com/ask

**Author's Note:**

> feedback is loved always: fangirl-squee.tumblr.com/ask


End file.
